Six Flags Magic Mountain: Fate?

Re: Six Flags Magic Mountain: Fate?

It's not officially doing anything except continuing to operate.

If it does close, it will likely be a ways off. The fact that they're trying to sell it in a block with other parks means they're trying to sell to a park operator, NOT a real estate venture (which is the prime concern if you're worried about its closure).

Re: Six Flags Magic Mountain: Fate?

I don't think they have plans to "Close" it. I think they are trying to see if they can sell it and what it is worth to the company. The bad news is that they have been shopping the property as a real estate deal. So the chances are that a developer would buy the property and build houses and retail there.

If they have any serious bites, we'll start hearing rumors.

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Re: Six Flags Magic Mountain: Fate?

Re: Six Flags Magic Mountain: Fate?

I agree that's a good sign, but to play Devil's advocate, they sold Season passes for Astroworld's next season until the day it was announced....and believe it or not, the website sold season passes for a few days after that!

Re: Six Flags Magic Mountain: Fate?

I heard on the news in about May - that the plans indeed were for it to be open through the year and then be sold to developers and turned into homes. I understand the six flags group is having low attendance at the parks and is planning on selling half the parks. The annual pass issue, however, I can see them arguing that the passes are for all parks, not just Magic Mountain, but still doesn't seem quite right if Magic Mountain is truly closing that they are not upfront about it at the time of purchase.

Re: Six Flags Magic Mountain: Fate?

If another theme park does buy it hopefully they can correct the many mistakes and actually start tearing down some of the coasters to attract families rather than horemonal teens with no more than five bucks in food money to spend.

Re: Six Flags Magic Mountain: Fate?

That's not the main cause of the problems. Cedar Point has as large and intense of a coaster collection as SFMM and they have a mainly family crowd. Their main problems are in slightly different areas.
(Though I agree that they should have been investing in nothing but coasters!)

Re: Six Flags Magic Mountain: Fate?

Originally Posted by Peabody

That's not the main cause of the problems. Cedar Point has as large and intense of a coaster collection as SFMM and they have a mainly family crowd. Their main problems are in slightly different areas.
(Though I agree that they should have been investing in nothing but coasters!)

Having a park devoted to nothing but coasters is death for family attendance. Say you have a family of four. Dad likes the coasters, the older sibling does as well. Mom doesn't care for them all that much but is used to taking one for the family. However the younger sibling is frightened of big coasters and is too big for Bugs Bunny World. Now the family can drag along the younger sibling, pay admission, and have mom do tantrum control all day, or they can choose a different venue such as Knotts, Universal, or Disneyland Resort.

With adolescents there is little issue. Groups of friends invite people, if people don't want to go, they invite others. They go on their own and ride. So now we know that the park naturally is more convienent for adolescent audiences.

Now, teens often don't have much money, so they bring their coke can for cheap admission, and maybe buy a burger or something cheap in the park. Few hats and trinkets are sold. Very few anual passes. And even fewer expensive dinners.

So now that the main audience is without adult supervision and in a peer atmosphere, they tend to try and get away with things. Shoplifting. Line cutting. Then fights break out when line cutters are confronted. You also have a large amount of guys trying to pick up on girls. More fights ensue.

To help prevent such events the security guards become less tolerant and start to profile the guests. Civil liberties are in question then the park is sued.

I worked for a law firm here in southern california and we had an entire storage locker dedicated to law suits against Magic Mountain for such issues. Beefing up security and fighting law suits is not cheap, especially when the target audience spends little money there in the first place.

Re: Six Flags Magic Mountain: Fate?

I understand that, but Cedar Point, in terms of ride collection is not dissimilar to Magic Mountain. But, they draw a primarily family crowd. The main cause of the make up of attendees at SFMM is not because of a large intense coaster collection. Is it a factor? Sure. But CP is enough to show that it need not be that way. Operations across the spectrum, marketing, guest satisfaction, etc. are all MAJOR players. SFMM is in the bottom of the barrell in that regard. I've been lucky enough to visit some 80+ different parks and SFMM is right at the bottom for me. Great coasters, but the horrible state of the place makes it almost impossible for me to enjoy it.